Hydraulic transmission mechanism.



C. C. RICH.

HYDRAULIC TRANSMISSION MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED :uwza. 1910.

1,156,817. I Patented 00512, 1915.

, TED srA'rEs PATENT OFFICE.

- CHARLES C. RICH, OF MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THEHYDRO-KINETIC TRANSMISSION COMPANY, OF MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK, ACORPORATION OF MAINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

HYDRAULIC TRANSMISSION MECHANISM.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

To all whom it ma concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES C. R1011, citizen of the United States,residing at Mount Vernon, in the county of Westchester and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in HydraulicTransmission Mechanism, of

. which the following is a specification.

This invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements inhydraulic transmission mechanism (Case D) and is designed particularlyfor use in connection with motor vehicles of the light type, incontra-distinction to motor trucks, warehouse vehicles and the like,although it is to be understood that my invention is a'pplicable alsoforuse wherever it is desired to transmit power from a drive to a drivenshaft.

The present invention has for its primary object an improvedconstruction of fluid transmission mechanism embodying a pair of duplexmotors connected respectively to the two sections of the rear axle of anautomobile, or to the sections of another driven shaft, each of saidhydraulic motors including a pair of rotors in connection with valvemechanism which is so arranged that the motive fluid may be passed toand from a pumping mechanism to all of the rotors simultaneously or .toand from a single rotor of each motor in the set, the operation of themotors and their .location upon each axle of the vehicle doing away withthe necessity of the ordinary differential mechanism, while at the sametime, all of the parts are closely coupled together, and all pipingpractically eliminated, the structure being rigid, and reducingvibration to a minimum.

With these and other objects in view as will more fully appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions,arrangements and combinations of the parts that I shall hereinafterfully describe and claim.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to thefollowing description and accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is aplan view of an automobile framework or running gear illustrating thesame conventionally, and showing particularly the disposition of myimproved hydraullc mechanism, and its connection with the gasolene motoror other engine; Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal ;sectional viewthrough the two duplex motors; and the single reversing valve that isinterposed be tween the pumping mechanism and the speed controllingvalves and which is common to both of the latter; Fig. 3 is aperspective view'of one of the speed controlling valves; Fig. 4: is asimilar view of one form of reversing valve that may be employed; Fig. 4is a similar view of another form of reversing valve; Fig. 5 is anotherView of one of the speed controlling valves.

Corresponding and like parts are'referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.- I

The numeral '1 designates the framework of a motor vehicle, 2 theinternal combustion engine or other prime mover, 3 the fly wheelthereof, and 4 the transmission shaft ofany desired construction ordesign. The shaft 4 carries at its rear end a bevel pinion 5 which.meshes with a corresponding pinion 6 on the rotor shaft of a pump P, thepump being supported in any desired way in the framework 1. The inletand outlet ports 7 of the pump P communicate with the interior of acylinder 8 in which a piston 9 is mounted for a longitudinal movement.The cylinder 8 is provided at diametrically opposite points with portsbetween which communication is established by the grooves and passagesformed in the piston 9. The grooves are designated 10 and extendobliquely in opposite directions around the periphery of the pistons asbest illustrated in Fig. 4 and are designed, when in registry with theports of the cylinder 8, to reverse the direction of flow of the motivefluid to and from the motors M, to cause the vehicle to travelrearwardly. The passages 11 extend directly in a transverse directionthrough the piston near the ends thereof and serve to directly pass themotive fluid to and from the motors M so as to propel the vehicle in aforward direction. It will thus be seen that on the forward movement ofthe vehicle, where high speed is desirable,

thefluid will pass directly through the piston 9, the more circuitouspassages or grooves being only brought into play on the reverse, wherehigh speed is not so essential and Where it is not so necessary toeliminate friction. If desired, the piston illustrated in Fig. 4 anddesignated 9 may be employed, the same being formed with circumferentialgrooves 10 for the direct passage of the fluid on forward motion, andwith crossed oblique passages 11 extending therethrough for the purposeof reversing the flow of motive fluid.

From the hydraulic casing 8 of the reversing valve or piston 9 divergentpassages 12 lead, said passages communicating :with ports that areformed in two valve chambers, and in each of these chambers there is aselecting valve 14. Each of the valves 14 is formed with substantiallyY-shaped passages 15 extending transversely therethrough, and arrangedto register respectively with the divergent passages 12 and the passages16 which lead to and from the respective compartments of the two duplexmotors M. By this means, it is evident, that the motive fluid may passfrom and to the pump P directly to all of the-motors simultaneously,thereby distributing the .force of said fluid and obtaining the maximumpower of which the mechanism is capable, and at a relatively low speed.In addition to the Y-shaped passages I5, each of the valves 14 is formedwith longitudinally extending grooves 17 sundry of which are designed tobridge the upper and lower passages 12 and the outlet and inlet passages16 of the respective motors in a certain position of the valves so as topermit the pump to run and the motors also to run through the inertia ofthe machine, without any operative connection between the pumpingmechanism and the motors. It is also to be understood that by turningboth the valves 14 to another position, the outlet and inlet passages ofone motor of each pair may be directly connected with each other butshut off from the pump so as to permit the motors to run free while theremaining motors (say those nearest to the work), receive the full forceof the motive fluid, the maximum speed being thereby attained withoutany unnecessary lateral, or torsional strains being imposed upon theaxle sections 17 to which the rotors 18 of each duplex motor are keyedor otherwise rigidly connected. For a further and detail description ofthe specific construction of speed controlling and reversing valves,reference is to be had to my companion applicatoin Serial No. 573,566,filed July 23, 1910, and (Case C) executed of even date herewith.

The present embodiment of the invention illustrates (which is also morespecifically described in my companion application, just 'missionmechanism will be apparent.

referred to), means whereby, without changing the position of the speedcontrolling valves 14, the entire motor set, may be cut off from thepumping mechanism and the fluid permitted to circulate freely within thecasings, said means embodying, as illustrated in Fig. 2, by-passpassages controlled by turnplugs or cocks 19 operated by a common linkbar 20 which is operatively connected by a bell-crank 21 and link rod 22to a foot treadle 23 located in convenient proximity to the driversseat. Manifestly the two speed controlling valves 14 are simultaneouslyoperated, the means for accomplishing this resultbeing shown in thepresent instance as meshing segments 24 secured to the stems of therespective valves 14, one of said segments beingconnected by a link rod25, bell crank 26, and link 27 to a hand lever 28 as best illustrated inFig. 1.

From the foregoing description in con nection with the accompanyingdrawing, the operation of my improved hydraulic trans- In the practicaluse of the device, the entire set of motors may be simultaneouslyoperated by the single pump P to secure low speed, to propel the vehicleeither ahead or rearwardly, according to the particular posltion of thepiston valve 9, or by manipulating the hand lever 28, said speedcontrolling valves 14 may be so shifted as to entirely disconnectthemotors from the pump and permit them both to run free anddisconnected from each other, or by a still further shifting of thevalves 14 the inner motor of each pair may be rendered inoperative, andthe outer motor of each pair receive the full force of the motive fluidso as to increase the speed. Obviously, by manipulating the foot treadle23, the bypass passages may be opened up so as to permit the fluid tomerely circulate within the casing and continuously flow in a uniformlycircular path, thereby rendering the motors inoperative without shiftingthe speed controlling devices and also rendering it possible to againstart the vehicle without any necessity of touching or manipulating thespeed controlling valves, or of having them in the neutral position.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In hydraulic transmission mechanism, the combination of a pair ofduplex motors, shaft sections to which the rotors of said motors arerespectively connected, speed controlling valves arranged to control theinlet and outlet ports of all of the motors simultaneously or of onepart of each duplex motor independently of the other, a reversing valvemechanism co-acting with said speed controlling valves, means foroperating the speed controlling valves, means for operating thereversing valve mechanism, a

\ pump operatively connected to the motors through-the speed controllingvalves and reversing valve mechanism, and means for actuating said pump.

2. In hydraulic transmission mechanism, the combination of a air ofduplex motors, shaft sections to which the rotors of said duplex motorsare connected respectively, a valve casing, a pair of speed controllingvalves mounted in said casing and arranged of said speed controllingvalves and serving both of the latter, means for simultaneously movingsaid speed controlling valves, and means for actuating said pump.

3. In hydraulic transmission mechanism of the character described, thecombination of a pump, a motor, a speed controlling valve interposedbetween the motor and pump, and a reversing valve interposed between thespeed controlling valve and the pump and embodying a piston formed withstraight transverse passages extending therethrough and with oppositelyextending oblique peripheral grooves, said passages being adapted topass the fluid from and to the pump and motor in a directionto propelthe motor forwardly, and the grooves being arranged to change thedirection of flow from the valve and motor rearwardly.

4. In hydraulic transmission mechanism,.

the combination of a pair of duplex motors including each two rotors,shaft sections to which the rotors of said motors are respectivelyconnected, a pump, means for oper ating the pump, selecting valveswhereby the motive fluid may be directed to both of the rotors of eachpair or to only one of said rotors, said selecting valves being arrangedto connect the inlet and outlet ports of the motors with each other andthereby disconnect the motors from the pump, a reversing valve mechanisminterposed be-' tween the pump and the selecting valves and the motors,means for actuating the selecting valves, means for actuating thereversing valve mechanism, the motors being formed with by-pass openingswhereby to connect the inlet and outlet ports of the motors with eachother independently of the selecting valves, and means forsimultaneously operating the valves in said by-passes.

5. In hydraulic transmission mechanism, the combination of a pair ofduplex motors including each two rotor shaft sections to which, theshaft sections of said motors are respectively connected, a pump, meansfor operating the pump, means whereby the outlet and inlet ports of thepump may be connected directly to the outlet and inlet ports of theseveral motors or to the outlet and inlet ports of one motor of eachpair of rotors, said means also being arranged to connect the inlet andoutlet ports with each other and thereby disconnect said outlet andinlet ports from the pump, a reversing valve mechanism interposedbetween the pump and the motors, and means for connecting the inlet andoutlet ports of each motor together to thereby disconnect said portsfrom the pump and allow the motors to operate independently of the pump.

6. In hydraulic transmission mechanism of the character described, thecombination of a pump, a motorfa speed controlling valve interposedbetween the 'motor and the pump, and a reversing valve interposedbetween the speed controlling valve and the pump and embodying a pistonformed with transverse passages disposed in planes at right angles tothe axis of the piston andwith oppositely extending oblique passages,the first named passages being adapted to pass the fluid from and to thepump and motor in a direction to propel the motor forward and the secondnamed passages being arranged to reverse the direction of flow from thevalve and motor.

7. In hydraulic transmission mechanism, the combination of a pair ofduplex motors, each motor having an inlet and an outlet port,independent shaft sections to which the rotors of said motors arerespectively connected, a speed-controlling valve chamber disposedopposite each duplex motor and having inlet and outlet ports connectedto the inlet and outlet ports of the corresponding motor, a singlereversing valve chamber having a pair of inlet ports and outlet ports,the outlet ports of the reversing valve chamber being connected each tothe inlet port of one of the speed controlling valve chambers, rotatablevalves disposed in the speed-controlling valve chambers and havingY-shaped passages therethrough, each valve'being movable to a positionto entirely out off communication between the pump and both of themotors controlled by said valve, or cut ofl communication between one ofsaid motors and the pump, and a reversing valve disposed in thereversing valve chamber having ports therethrough adapted when the valveis shifted in one position to connect the outlet port of the pump withthe inlet ports of the controlling valve chambers and the inlet port ofsaid pump with the other ports in said controlling valve chambers, or toreverse said connection.

8. In a hydraulic transmission mechanism, the combination with pumpingmecha- In testimony whereof, I aflix my slgnanism, of a plurality ofpairs of hydraulic ture in presence of two witnesses.

motors, means for directing the fluid in one CHARI ES C RICH [L 8]direction through both the motors of each J pair, or through one motorof each pair, Witnesses:

and means for reversing the direction of \V. N. \VoousoN, movement ofthe flow through said motors. FREDERICK S. S'JITT.

